Middleton hogs all the honors at Big Eight golf meet

Janesville Craig’s Ross Peterson follows the path of his putt on the 17th green at Evansville during the Big Eight Conference meet Thursday. Peterson led the local participants with a seventh-place finish.

Bill Olmsted

Janesville Parker's Dustin Richards talks to his ball after a drive in the Big Eight tournament in Evansville.

Bill Olmsted

Janesville Craig's Greg Rueff lines up a putt during the Big Eight tournament at Evansville.

Middleton's Mitch Johnson, who shot 79 on Thursday, had the top scoring average in the conference, but it was Schilling who took center stage Thursday.

The senior birdied No. 9 for a 38 on the front, and after a double-bogey at No. 10, rattled off three straight birdies en route to an even-par 36 on the back.

"The back nine has a lot of birdie opportunities, so the key to playing here is to make it through the front without any big holes," Schilling said.

"I'm glad I won, but the main goal today was for our team to win the meet. We were not happy about having to share the dual meet title. Hopefully, this carries over to the regional, sectional and state meet."

Middleton coach Tom Cabalka said winning conference never gets old.

"The goal today was to get through the front nine in good shape because it's so tough," Cabalka said. "And we did that, which set us up for a good back nine. The course makes you hit good shots, and if you don't, your score is going to reflect that."

Peterson had a 1-over 37 on the back nine in finishing seventh overall.

Payton Graham and Dustin Richards had 84 and 85, respectively, to lead Parker.

Sun Prairie's Colin Lane and Madison La Follette's Jake Feuerstein each recorded a hole-in-one. Lane had an ace on the 162-yard, par 3 seventh hole, while Feuerstein aced the 140-yard, par 3 10th.